Upon return to the cabin on Wednesday evening, we asked the fellow in the cabin beside us, how he had done during the day. His reply was that he had done OK, but had worked to save three fellows who had been struck by lightening in the creek just above where he was fishing….(this story is relevant to events further on). We understand all three fishermen survived the strike, but we do not know their condition.
Thursday morning after packing up we were off to DePuys Spring Creek to take advantage of SecretWeapon’s negotiated ½ day rate. We met Ms. DePuy, paid our fees and spent some time talking to her about her home. The home is modeled after Orton Plantation down in Brunswick County. I filled her in on some details of Orton, and she was nice enough to take our picture in front of the ornately carved front doors.
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loginWe next went to the fly shop that is at the upper end of the creek and checked it out, though the shop manager could not believe we were able to get on the creek for only ½ day. He has not known SecretWeapon long enough!
Then, off to the water. While the sky was clear initially, we had a pretty good wind blowing. The first hour or so were uneventfully, with some PMD’s coming off early, about 10:00 or so, but none of us had, or even saw any fish rising.
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loginWe decided to try another area, and as we traveled along the 3+ mile stretch of water, we stopped to watch a pool, and the action started. There was lots of rises, but difficult current to float a fly.
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loginAs we were getting in to it, the sky darkened, almost immediately, and the rain and lightning started. With the previous day’s story still fresh in our minds, Peddler and LLN went to the car (where LLN normally spends his time in lightning storms) but SECRETWEAPON stayed with it. Peddler claimed the reel and LLN the fine Winston, should lightning strike, but before such a transaction could occur we convinced SECRETWEAPON to come to the car with us.
When the storm subsided, Peddler moved up and SECRETWEAPON and LLN, down the creek. Very shortly thereafter, “Fish on” and Peddler caught the first of this 3 fat spring creek trout.
The fly shop on the grounds really pushed the ‘technical’ and ‘small’ words. We all bought into that and loaded our boxes with ‘technical’ and ‘small’ flies. When the PMD’s came off they were anything but small. Having the right-sized fly made all the difference in the world as Peddler proceeded to gather up a ‘grand slam’ that included a healthy brown, ‘bow and cutt.
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loginLLN got a strike or two, and was honing in on a very nice brown that was rising consistently, when again the sky darkened as the clouds literally “spilled” over the mountain. With the oncoming storm and lightning, again, and with the clock running out on our ½ day, we headed back to the van, and called it an early day.
A trip to Livingstone, lunch in a saloon, and a trip to Bozeman to spend the night prior to a 6:10 am flight just about wrapped it up.
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loginBut wait, there were two more adventures.
The flight to Charlotte, from Denver was delayed a couple of hours. We spent the time in an area just up from our ultimate departure gate. Peddler and SECRETWEAPON did not hear the boarding call for the flight from Denver to CLT, and darn near missed the flight.
LLN had gone to the rest room, seen that boarding had started and had hollered to the boys, but Peddler did not hear him over the din in the airport. LLN boarded the plane and soon realized his fishing buddies were not on.
LLN held the plane, with the door closed and the jet way retracted, to give the Peddler and SECRETWEAPON the opportunity to get to the gate. Amazingly, and quite fortunately, they rolled the jet way back out to the plane and opened the door. Upon boarding, an attendant gave both the guys the evil eye, and tried to lay some strong language on them, but at last we were all aboard, and headed home.
We all returned safe and sound to our homes, without further to do. Wrong!
On the way home, SecretWeapon’s car died just north of Charlotte and he was trapped in an inner lane with Friday Afternoon crazies speeding on both sides of him, and slamming on brakes behind him. He called 911, twice, got some trucks to get him off the road, had his car towed, rented a car to go to Winston Salem, and then, returned on Saturday afternoon to pick his car up in Charlotte. What a way to end such a wonderful trip!
Well, we have given you a long story about a great trip. We hope you enjoyed reading about our excellent adventure. We are already firming up plans for next year!.
Landlockednow, Peddler and SecretWeapon.
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